

<h1>Device Manager</h1>

<div class="abstract">
  The Device Manager bundle implements the 
  <a  target="_top" href="$(JAVADOCLINK)org/osgi/service/device/package-summary.html">
    OSGi Device Access Model. 
  </a>
</div>

<h2>Description</h2>
<p>
  The Device Manager matches and attaches drivers to devices. With the
  help of one or more DriverLocator services it can dynamically
  install and start drivers on demand. 
</p>
<p>
  These concepts are used in the Device Manager documentation.
  <dl class="kf">
    <dt>Device</dt>
    <dd>A service that mirrors a physical device. </dd>
    <dt>Idle Device</dt>
    <dd>A Device that no Driver service is attached to. </dd>
    <dt>Device Manager</dt>
    <dd>A framework component that looks for registration and
      unregistration of devices and finds a driver for a device.  
    </dd>
    <dt>Driver</dt>
    <dd>Is called by the Device Manager to check for matches and carry
      out attachment. 
      </dd>
    <dt>Driver Locator</dt>
    <dd>A service that downloads suitable drivers. </dd>
    <dt>Driver Selector</dt>
    <dd>A service to break ties in case multiple drivers return the same (best) match value. </dd>
  </dl>
</p>
<h2>Device Access Model</h2>
<p>
  The device access model is a part of the OSGi service platform
  specification. It splits responsibilities for device
  management into several parts. The device manager is the motor in
  this process and it is supplied with the framework. There must never
  be more than one device manager installed. 
</p>
<p>
  Knopflerfish includes a basic driver locator bundle,
  basicdriverlocator. 
</p>
